Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or any of its characters.
Author's Note: This story is the sequel to Making It Work, so if you haven't already, you might want to read that one first (just so things here make sense).
It is the day before Andre and Rachel's wedding and Beck finds himself in a strip club, celebrating his friend's last day as a single man. He has been here for approximately two hours and already is playing baby sitter to his drunken buddies. Andre and Robbie have taken it upon themselves to have a "shots battle" to see who can down the most in a minute. While Andre ultimately won, with an impressive seven, the hangover he will undoubtedly experience at his wedding might actually make him the loser. Beck sits back in his chair, looking around the club, making sure his friends don't get into any serious trouble.
Also, he has been fending off strippers all night. He's lost count of how many approached him throughout the night, but he is beginning to run out of excuses. His friends, calling him a kill joy for turning the girls down, left him to go have some fun of their own. They're probably right and he should be enjoying a boy's night out, but he knows better than to mess up all the progress he's been making with Tori.
Ever since she agreed to be try and be friends, he has gone out of his way to prove to her that he can be trusted. They went on group outings with their friends, she introduced him to her roommates from college and he would invite her on the set of his latest project. They would spend time at her house, with her family and go on mini road trips to visit Trina and her fiance James. Anyone who didn't know them would assume they are a couple just by the way they interact. Their hands always found a way to brush against each other and he always catches her staring at him, but she rarely catches him.
Things are going well between them, but Beck would be lying if he says he is content with where they are. He wants things to move faster, wants her to just give their relationship another chance. He misses the feel of her hands intertwined and her lips against his. He hates that he can't hold her at night and hold her for longer than ten seconds without it being awkward. Not that he can tell her that since he agreed to "take it slow." It's already been over a year though, how much longer does he need to wait?
"Hey, hey lets get this man a drink" yells Andre to no one in particular as he approaches the table. He yanks Beck's empty glass from his hands and holds it up in the air. "Bartender" he continues while waving the glass from side to side.
Beck raises his brow in amusement and tries to track down the nearest waitress. He manages to make eye contact with a girl wearing the club's all black uniform. Her shorts barely make it past her posterior and her top had the club's name, Flash City, in red and white rhinestones. Her dark makeup emphasize her green eyes and her long black curls are pinned back in a ponytail. Beck beckons her over and points at the glass in Andre's hand. She simply nods her head in understanding and walks over to the bar.
"Ha, my man Beck, check you out" Andre says much too loudly before exploding in a roaring laughter.
"I think you've had too many drinks man" Beck says.
"Naw man, no such thing. Besides, looks like the party's just started. The way that girl looked at you, you're a lucky man" Andre slurs and manages to sit on the edge of the high stool.
"I don't know what you're talking about" Beck responds. He looks away from Andre and looks around the club. He spots Robbie and Andre's friend Michael at a table towards the front, throwing dollar bills for the dancer on stage. Beck shakes his head and smirks. Seeing Robbie Shapiro, his nerdy friend from high school, so comfortable in a place like this is truly mind boggling. Then again, it shouldn't be that surprising considering that he is now a newly single man.
A few weeks prior, Robbie reached out to him, after years of no communication, and they both rekindled their friendship over beers and hockey. Beck had filled him in on his life with and without Tori as well as his acting career. Robbie caught Beck up on his experiences as a behind the scenes technician at Universal Studios and his relationship with none other that Cat Valentine. Beck hadn't known they were even together, and apparently few others did. They were together just over three years when suddenly, Robbie got home and she was gone.
"No explanation, nothing. I haven't heard from her since" Robbie had told him.
At that moment, Beck knew he didn't have it as bad because at least he still saw and spoke to Tori. Sure she left him, but she didn't vanish without reasoning.
"Come on Beck, she so wants you. You should try and make that happen" Andre says, bringing him out of his trance.
Beck turns back to look at Andre and wonders just how drunk his friend is. He's Tori's best friend and he knows everything that's gone down throughout their relationship. The lies and betrayals, the countless months trying to reestablish some sort of friendship. If Tori heard him now, drunk or not, she would be hurt.
"You know I can't do that" Beck answers firmly.
"Because of Tor huh?" Andre asks. Beck simply nods.
A short silence follows in which the music changes from a Nirvana instrumental to Prince's Darling Nikki. A few of the waitresses cheer as the rock rhythm and loud vocals blare from the speakers and several men howl at their reactions. The dancer on stage wraps her leg around the metal pole and begins twirling, matching the beat perfectly.
"You have to let that go man, there's no way Tori's taking you back. Not after what you did" Andre starts up again, turning his attention from Beck to the girl on stage.
Beck squints his eyes. Did he hear right? Did Andre know something he isn't aware of? Just then, the waitress walks up to them and places Beck's drink in front of him. "Keep the tab open?" she asks and he nods his head.
Once she walks away, he starts his line of questioning."Why do you say that? Has she said anything to you?"
Andre turns back to his friend and the corner of his lips curve up. The smirk makes Beck unsettled and he starts to panic. Has he been wasting his time trying to win her back?
"She didn't have to say anything. I know Tori and I know she will never forgive you" Andre states, slurring his words and tilting his head back a bit.
"Oh, so you're just making an assumption based on..."Beck trails off, waiting for his friend to provide further explanation.
"Based on all the days I saw her crying over what you did to her. Based on years of being her best friend and knowing that no matter how much she pretends to be okay, she keeps everything bottled up inside so others won't feel bad. Trust me, you're not getting her back" Andre replies, his tone getting more aggressive, his volume increasing so as to be heard over the loud music.
Beck can see that things will most likely escalate between them and won't end well, but hell if he cares right now. He doesn't care how well Andre knows Tori or how protective he is of her, their relationship is none of his damn business and there's no way he's going to let Andre talk shit, bachelor party or not.
"Well I know Tori too, and trust me, we're fine. I get that you're close to her and are trying to look out for her, but so am I and I would never hurt her."
"Oh, you mean like you did when you cheated on her?" Andre asks matter-of-factly.
"That's not your business" Beck answers. He clenches his teeth and scowls at Andre across the table. He really didn't want to get into an argument with one of his closest friends the day before his wedding, but if Andre keeps pushing, he'll have no other choice.
"It became my business when she called me, crying, and I had to pick up the pieces. You and I both know you can't protect her like I can. I can take care of Tori better than you ever can. Just let her go" Andre says while slamming the palm of his hand loudly on the table.
Suddenly, Beck wonders if this is more about Tori's decision to give him a another chance and less about him being unfaithful. He thinks back to their junior year at Hollywood Arts, when he was still dating Jade, Andre admitted to having feelings for Tori. The two of them, along with Robbie, were filming a short film for their visual arts class when Robbie started going on about the best looking girls in the school. At the mention of Tori, Andre had gotten defensive and, after several minutes of being drilled with questions about her, he admitted he did in fact, like her.
That's partly the reason why, once he started dating Tori, Beck kept a watchful eye on Andre. He always saw how at ease she was around him and how many inside jokes they had. He was aware of how easily they were able to talk to each other and how quickly they wrote songs together. Their friendship made him uncomfortable, but it's not something he could tell her. Had he expressed those feelings, he might have been asking her to choose between them, and he wasn't sure she would pick him over her best friend, so he let it go.
That is, until he learned that they would both be going to college together, with no one else from their group. Andre would be around Tori whenever he wanted and he would be hundreds of miles away in New York, wondering if anything was going on. Ironically, he is the one who cheated and ruined the relationship.
"You're still in love with Tori, aren't you?" Beck asks with certainty.
He watches as Andre, taken aback, moves further back on his stool and tightens the muscles of his face. Both men glare at each other and it instantly becomes obvious that this night will not end well.
"You have no idea what you're talking about," Andre starts. "I'm marrying Rachel tomorrow, so be careful what you accuse me of."
"You didn't answer my question" Beck replies, his tone cool and sarcastic.
"No, I am not in love with Tori. She's my best friend and I'm looking out for her, that is all."
"You know, you're a better musician than you are actor because that wasn't the least bit convincing" Beck replies as he folds his arms across his chest. He carefully watches as a mix of emotions flash through Andre's face. Anger. Fear. Guilt. He didn't need to say anything, it is clear that Beck is right. Even in a drunken state, Andre is unable to hide his emotions.
"I would back off if I were you Beck" Andre spits bitterly through clenched teeth.
"Or what?" asks Beck defiantly, willing to take on whatever Andre might throw at him at this point.
"Trust me, you don't want to find out" Andre replies. If there's one thing Beck knows about Andre, it's that he can't carry out a threat. As much as he wants to come across as a tough guy, he's all talk.
As an uncomfortable silence dawns on them, Beck sees Robbie approaching the table. The curly haired man struggles to reach his friends and stumbles a few times. Once there, Robbie pulls out the last empty stool at their table and sits on it.
"I ran out of bills, can one of you spot me?" he asks, unaware of the tension between his two friends.
"I would, but I'm afraid Andre might have a problem with it. You see, he tends to get attached to things that aren't his" Beck says at his friend's expense.
"Yeah? Well Beck here will probably expect something from you if he does lend it to you" Andre retorts.
"At least I know to worry about what's mine. I don't go around worrying about other people's things in the hope of taking it for myself" Beck answers.
"Things? So she's your property now? I'll make sure to tell her when I see her tomorrow" Andre replies.
At the two continue going back and forth, Robbie looks at each of them, unsure of what is going on. Suddenly realizing that something bad is going on between them, he tries to understand what they are talking about but fails miserably. Neither are making sense anymore. Robbie can't remember the last time he saw Andre and Beck arguing. Both, as far as he remembers, are rational and don't let their emotions get the best of them. Even during their high school days, they were the two to create harmony within the group and calm them all down if things were going wrong.
He continues listening to their argument and the only thing he's able to get is that they are talking about Tori. Why though? What would Andre want to do with Tori when he is marrying Rachel in less that 24 hours?
"Just admit it, admit that you want her and that the reason you're angry with me is because I have her" Beck exclaims, his index finger too close to Andre's face. Robbie quickly reaches over to his hand and gently pushes it away from Andre before the latter can react and the situation escalates to another level.
"I do not want Tori and I suggest you stop going around saying that and trust me, you don't have her and she is not going to take you back. Especially not when I tell her about this" Andre says before getting down from the stool he was sitting on. He starts turning away from them but stops midway. "And if it's not obvious, you're not to come to my wedding" he finishes and continues to turn and walk away from Beck and Robbie.
Beck watches as Andre walks away from the table and towards the bar. He scoffs aggressively and hops down from his stool. Seeing his reaction, Robbie gets down from his seat and grabs his friend. "It's not worth it" he says, trying to make Beck be reasonable. "You want Tori back right? Well beating her best friend up the day before his wedding isn't going to help your case. Just go home."
Beck takes one last look towards Andre and then looks at Robbie. His shoulders slump slightly and he nods his head. "You're right, I'm out of here" he says. Beck turns towards the table and downs the remainder of his drink. "Thanks Robbie" he says patting his friend on the back.
"See ya man" Robbie replies and looks after Beck as he begins making his way towards the exit. He turns to where Andre is and exhales deeply.
Who's going to spot me now? Robbie thinks before turning to walk towards the bar.